Transmisson apparatus and method and reception apparatus and method for providing program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a transmission apparatus and method and a reception apparatus and method for a program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service. The transmission apparatus includes: a real time stream encoder generating a real time stream by encoding a reference image; a non-real time (NRT) stream encoder generating an NRT stream based on an additional image; an image synchronization information generator generating a service signaling and image synchronization information (including an event information table (EIT) and a program map table (PMT)) stream for synchronizing the reference image and the additional image with each other based on 3D content synchronization information; and a re-multiplexer generating a program associated stereoscopic broadcasting stream by multiplexing the real time stream, the non-real time stream, and the service signaling and image synchronizing information stream.

1 . A transmission apparatus for a program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service, comprising:
 a real time stream encoder generating a real time stream by encoding a reference image;   a non-real time (NRT) stream encoder generating an NRT stream based on an additional image;   an image synchronization information generator generating a service signaling and image synchronization information (including an event information table (EIT) and a program map table (PMT)) stream for synchronizing the reference image and the additional image with each other based on 3D content synchronization information; and   a re-multiplexer generating a program associated stereoscopic broadcasting stream by multiplexing the real time stream, the non-real time stream, and the service signaling and image synchronizing information stream.   
     
     
         2 . The transmission apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the non-real time stream encoder stores and manages an NRT content based on the additional image and generates a schedule for transmission of the NRT content to transmit the NRT content to the re-multiplexer in non-real time according to the schedule. 
     
     
         3 . The transmission apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the non-real time stream encoder includes:
 a non-real time content manager storing and managing the NRT content based on the additional image;   an NRT content encoder generating the NRT stream by receiving an NRT image of the NRT content and performing encoding on the NRT image; and   an NRT signaling information encoder generating NRT signaling information in order to transmit information related to the NRT content and configuration information of the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service to a receiver.   
     
     
         4 . The transmission apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the service signaling and image synchronization information includes program specific information (PSI)/program and service information protocol (PSIP) information, and
 the NRT signaling information includes a service map table (SMT) and a non-real time information table (NRT-IT).   
     
     
         5 . The transmission apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein at least any one of the service signaling and image synchronization information and the NRT signaling information includes an SNRT program descriptor (SNRT_Program_descriptor), the SNRT program descriptor including:
 a service flag (StereoMono_serviceFlag) indicating whether a service provided in the transmission apparatus is a monoscopic service or the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service;   service type information (NRT_Service_type) indicating a 3D broadcasting service type for signaling that the service provided in the transmission apparatus is the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service; and   a time stamp information (FirstAUTimeStamp) indicating a time stamp of a start time of the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service.   
     
     
         6 . The transmission apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein at least any one of the service signaling and image synchronization information and the NRT signaling information includes an SNRT ES information descriptor (PA_SNRT_ES_Info_descriptor) including information on whether the reference image is a left image or a right image and link information on the additional image synchronized with the reference image, the SNRT ES information descriptor including:
 a field (view_flag) for signaling whether the reference image is the left image or the right image; and   a file position information field (URI/FileName) for loading an NRT content file related to the additional image synchronized with the reference image.   
     
     
         7 . The transmission apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein at least any one of the SMT and the NRT-IT includes a capabilities descriptor (Capabilities_descriptor) downloading only the NRT content capable of being supported in the receiver to allow the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service to be performed, the capabilities descriptor including:
 a capability category including a service compatible code and a frame compatible code that are capable of signaling the 3D content configuration information; and   a wrapper/archive format category that is a code for signaling a 3D file format.   
     
     
         8 . The transmission apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the NRT-IT includes a stereoscopic related information descriptor (Stereoscopic_Related_info_descriptor) performing support so as to determine that the NRT content transmitted to the receiver is a content for the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service, the stereoscopic related information descriptor including:
 a transport session identification (TSID) of the reference image that is to configure the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service;   a program number of the reference image that is to configure the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service;   a program identification (PID) of the reference image that is to configure the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service; and   an expected start time of the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service.   
     
     
         9 . The transmission apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the PMT includes information on a receiver wake-up time point for loading a related additional image file in advance in the receiver in order to synchronize the reference image and the additional image with each other. 
     
     
         10 . A transmission method for a program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service, comprising:
 a real time stream encoding step of generating a real time stream by encoding a reference image;   an NRT streaming encoding step of generating an NRT stream based on an additional image;   an image synchronization information generating step of generating a service signaling and image synchronization information (including an EIT and a PMT) stream for synchronizing the reference image and the additional image with each other based on 3D content synchronization information; and   a re-multiplexing step of generating a program associated stereoscopic broadcasting stream by multiplexing the real time stream, the non-real time stream, and the service signaling and image synchronizing information stream.   
     
     
         11 . A reception apparatus for a program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service, comprising:
 a demultiplexer receiving a program associated stereoscopic broadcasting stream to demultiplex the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting stream into a real time stream, an NRT stream, and a service signaling and image synchronization information stream;   a real time image decoder generating a reference image in real time based on the real time stream;   an NRT image decoder generating an additional image in non-real time based on the NRT stream;   a service signaling and image synchronization information parser generating an EIT and a PMT for synchronizing the reference image and the additional image with each other based on the service signaling and image synchronization information stream; and   a renderer reproducing a 3D image based on the reference image and the additional image,   wherein the non-real time image decoder generates the additional image in consideration of synchronization with the reference image based on the EIT and the PMT.   
     
     
         12 . The reception apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the NRT image decoder includes:
 an NRT decoder receiving the NRT stream to generate NRT signaling information and an NRT content;   a content storage storing the generated NRT content therein;   an NRT service manager transferring information for loading a service related content in the stored content to the content storage based on configuration information of an NRT service obtained through the NRT signaling information and calculating a period in which synchronization is performed in the service related content based on the service signaling and image synchronization information to generate synchronization period information; and   an NRT file parser parsing a portion corresponding to a synchronization period in the service related content based on the synchronization period information to generate the additional image.   
     
     
         13 . The reception apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the service signaling and image synchronization information includes PSI/PSIP information, and
 the NRT signaling information includes an SMT and an NRT-IT.   
     
     
         14 . The reception apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein at least any one of the service signaling and image synchronization information and the NRT-IT includes an SNRT program descriptor (SNRT_Program_descriptor), the SNRT program descriptor including:
 a service flag (StereoMono_serviceFlag) indicating whether a stream related service received in the reception apparatus is a monoscopic service or the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service;   service type information (NRT_Service_type) indicating a 3D broadcasting service type for signaling that the stream related service received in the reception apparatus is the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service; and   a time stamp information (FirstAUTimeStamp) indicating a time stamp of a start time of the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service.   
     
     
         15 . The reception apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein at least any one of the service signaling and image synchronization information and the NRT-IT includes an SNRT ES information descriptor (PA_SNRT_ES_Info_descriptor) including information on whether the reference image is a left image or a right image and link information on the additional image synchronized with the reference image, the SNRT ES information descriptor including:
 a field (view_flag) for signaling whether the reference image is the left image or the right image; and   a file position information field (URI/FileName) for loading an NRT content file related to the additional image synchronized with the reference image.   
     
     
         16 . The reception apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein at least any one of the SMT and the NRT-IT includes a capabilities descriptor (Capabilities_descriptor) downloading only the NRT content capable of being supported in the reception apparatus to allow the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service to be performed, the capabilities descriptor including:
 a capability category including a service compatible code and a frame compatible code that are capable of signaling the 3D content configuration information; and   a wrapper/archive format category that is a code for signaling a 3D file format.   
     
     
         17 . The reception apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the NRT-IT includes a stereoscopic related information descriptor (Stereoscopic_Related_info_descriptor) performing support so as to determine that the 3D NRT content transmitted to the reception apparatus is a content for the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service, the stereoscopic related information descriptor including:
 a transport session identification (TSID) of the reference image that is to configure the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service;   a program number of the reference image that is to configure the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service;   a program identification (PID) of the reference image that is to configure the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service; and   an expected start time of the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service.   
     
     
         18 . The reception apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the service signaling and image synchronization information includes information on a receiver wake-up time point for loading a related additional image file in advance in the receiver in order to synchronize the reference image and the additional image with each other. 
     
     
         19 . The reception apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the NRT image decoder calculates a time difference between a current frame and a time point indicated by the time stamp information based on the time stamp information to provide synchronization between the stored content and the real time content. 
     
     
         20 . A reception method for a program associated stereoscopic broadcasting service, comprising:
 a demultiplexing step of receiving a program associated stereoscopic broadcasting stream to demultiplex the program associated stereoscopic broadcasting stream into a real time stream, an NRT stream, and a service signaling and image synchronization information stream;   a service signaling and image synchronization information parsing step of generating an EIT and a PMT for synchronizing a reference image and an additional image with each other based on the service signaling and image synchronization information stream;   a real time image decoding step of generating the reference image in real time based on the real time stream;   an NRT image decoding step of generating the additional image in non-real time based on the NRT stream; and   a rendering step reproducing a 3D image based on the reference image and the additional image,   wherein the NRT image decoding step includes a step of generating the additional image in consideration of synchronization with the reference image based on the EIT and the PMT.